§ 103. Mr. ARCHDALEasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that all the children in Castlepollard national school have been withdrawn from school and a Sinn Fein school opened; if he is aware that the alleged reason is that the school teacher played the National Anthem in the chapel where she acts as organist; and will he take steps to ensure that the teacher does not suffer in income?
§ Mr. DUKEI am informed that most of the pupils have been withdrawn from the girls' national school, Castlepollard, and that the persons who have caused this action have opened a school pupils so withdrawn are now attending. The cause of the removal is, I am informed, connected with the playing of the organ in the parish church by the principal teacher of the Castlepollard girls' national school. The Commissioner's of National Education have paid the salaries of the teachers of the national school in full up to 30th September, 1917, and they have applied for sanction for continuance of such payment for the present.